- ≡ Olearia colensoi Hook.f., Bot. Antarct. Voy. II. (Fl. Nov.-Zel.) Part I, 155, t. 29 (1853)
- = Olearia colensoi var. β Hook.f., Bot. Antarct. Voy. II. (Fl. Nov.-Zel.) Part I, 116 (1853)
- = Olearia colensoi var. argentea Allan, Fl. New Zealand 1, 660, 973 (1961)
Shrub up to 3 m. tall; branchlets stout, clad in white to buff tomentum. Lvs 8–20 × 3–6 cm. including short petiole up to 5 mm. long, obovate to obovate-oblong, acute to subacute, coriac., irregularly serrate, glab. above when mature and ± rugose, clad in dense white to buff or fulvous appressed tomentum below. Racemes up to 20 cm. long, with lanceolate tomentose bracts subtending pedicels. Capitula 2–3 cm. diam.; phyll. in 1–2 series, linear, glab. or nearly so, up to 1 cm. long; florets all tubular, ♀ in one row; achenes compressed, pilose, 4 mm. long, grooved; pappus-hairs up to 6 mm. long, dull white.
[From: Allan (1961) Flora of New Zealand. Volume 1. as Olearia colensoi Hook.f.]
Flowering: Nov.–Jan.; Fruiting: Dec.–Feb.